Once upon a time I was bored, so I went to my mobile app store to look for a game to make me not-bored anymore. There it was all brightly colored promising me hours of delicious fun.... Candy Crush. Better yet it was free-to-play! I don't know if it was the fast-pace, the colors, or the catchy sounds of crushing candy I loved... all I knew was that I was addicted.

No really. I was totally addicted. When I maxed levels on the first edition, I bought the next 60 levels ...and when I was out of lives or I was so close to beating a level, I paid for special items to get me through to the next level. By the end of my Candy Crush Saga binge I ended up spending $86.50. Talk about a toothache.

1. Try out all the free-to-play titles you can without paying the IAPs, or just pay for a few.The Google Play Store is positively overflowing with free apps, many of which won't require an entry fee or a cent for you to play them indefinitely. Of course, you may be tempted by the odd F2P trap here and there, such as the wiles of Candy Crush Saga, but you could theoretically keep your device forever without spending a single penny on it. Use our guides at Modojo, review indexes, or your own judgment to amass a database of free apps that, usually, only get better over time with free content updates and new levels, additions, and more. Also, watch for paid apps to go free-to-play, which is usually the case these days.

2. Watch for publisher sales.Publishers and developers want you to buy their games. It's true! Every week (and sometimes more often than that) you'll see a gaggle of sales on specific developers' games, or parts of a specific series. They're sometimes slashed down to crazy prices as well, so be an eagle-eyed shopper and nab these deals when you see them, because they can even go free for a limited time! And once you've added them to your device and download history, they'll be free forever. Keep an eye out for sales, because they'll end up being your very best friend.

3. Look out for Twitter, Facebook, and other social media giveaways.You could keep it locked onto the Modojo Facebook and Twitter to see what we have to offer (and we have a lot, including an iPad giveaway in the near future, so stay tuned!) but the truth is, companies like Gameloft, Big Fish, and more are usually keen on giving away plenty of codes for games here and there to lucky readers and followers. You just have to know how to react and when to look. Following your favorite company's news on these social channels is key, and now that you know this, make sure you follow Modojo, because you never know what we might have on the horizon.

Make sure you head over to Modojo for all the best mobile game reviews, tips, and tricks!